Volumetric gas-governor.



N0.730,o47. PATENTED'JUNE 2,1903.

- L. LRICHARDS. I

' VOLUMEIRIG GAS GOVERNOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR H, 1902. i

no mdnnL.

UNITED STATES Patented. June is, 1903.

LUOIUS J. RICHARDS, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

VOLUMETRIC GAS-GOVERNOR.

sPEcIFIoATIoNrormin part of Letters Patent No. 730,047, dated June 2, 1903.

j Application filed March 12, 1902. Serial No. 97,860. (No model.)

T0 at whom, it met y cgficern:

Be it known that I, LUCIUS J. RICHARDS, a citizen of the =United States of America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Volumetric Gas-Governors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ment gas-governersadapted to be applied to the outlet of a gas-meter or between the lat ter and the supply-pipe leading to the place or places of gas consumption, said governor being likewise adapted to be used with other gaseous substances for regulating the flow thereof; and the invention consists in the pe culiar construction and arrangement of the devices of said governor, the object being to provide an improved device of this class which provides means for variably adjusting the gas-flow to obtain an unvarying. delivery under varying pressure from the source of supply. 7

In the drawings forming part of this application, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the upper portion of an ordinary gas-meter, showing in the tubular outlet'thereof in side elevation my improved governor in operative position and the mean'semployed for securing the same in said outlet. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of said tubular outlet anda like sectional view of my improved governor,illustrating the several structural elements thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3 3, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, a indicates the meter-outlet, and b a pipe connecting the same with the usual gas-pipes of a building and secured to said outlet by a nut 0. lower end of said pipe b has an annular groove 0, which receives an annular flange on the lower end of the governor-case e, as shown, whereby the latter is held in an upright position in said pipe b, as shown in Fig. 2, the said lower end being freely open to permit gas from the meter to enter therein. Said governor comprises the outer metallic case 6 of the tapering form shown, having in the sides thereof, near its upper end,several openings 2', through which gas may escape therefrom in predetermined volume, as below set forth. On the upper end of said case 6 is a movable volumetric move-' The fcapf, in the sides of which are a series of openings 00, (see Fig. 3,) which upon turning the cap are brought to register with the said openings or gas-passages i in the case or to more or less reduce the area of said passages, whereby more or .less gas is allowed to pass from the governor outwardly,according to the quantity or pressure desired at the burners, thereby positively limiting the quantity of gas which can pass through the governor under a given pressure from the mains. Near the up per end of said case e is fixed a cone-shaped perforated diaphragm m, having perforations through the top thereof, as shown, for the pasage. of gas from below after passing a sus pended valve 02, which is automatically movable vertically, the upward movement thereof being due to any sudden increase of gas-pressure in the case 6, whereby the area of the gaspassage between the inner Wall of said diaphragm m and the ad joining pending borders of said valve n is reduced, thereby effecting a reduction of the volume of gas passing through 'the perforations shown in the upper wall of said diaphragm m. 1, The said valve 01. is hung on and guided vertically by the stem r, so that itmay automatically assume such positions within the diaphragm m as is demanded by {the flow of: gas under varying pressures to insure a steady delivery through the governor. A tapered funnel s is forced into the lower end of the casing e, said funnel pointing upward and its upper end being open. This funnel is stationary in the casing, and over its upper end is located an inverted-cupshaped valve 25, whose tapered side's fit closely the tapered sides of the funnel s and completely closes-theopen end of the latter when .-'no gas flows through the meter. This valve i must be raised'by the flow of gas through the funnel, and to the end that it maybe, held in axial alinement with said funnel it is 'pro- Ivided with a mixed tubular extension v, into which there enters the end of a verticallydepending guide-wire to, whose opposite end may be secured in any convenient manner to the funnel s. A weight 2 may be suspended from the under side of the valve tto adapt the devices to an abnormal pressure of gas. The said devices, consisting of the diaphragm s, the valvet and its guide-wire 'w, and variable weight 2 in the lower end of said case,

too

may when the gas flow is of substantially unvarying force be dispensed With, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A gas-governing device consisting of a tapered case located in the outlet-pipe of a meter, the inlet end of said case being open and fitting tightly said outlet, said case having a closed upper end provided with one or more openings; a rotatable member on said case having perforations therein adapted to register with the openings in the upper end of the case a tapered diaphragm in the case near the closed end thereof, there being one or more apertures in the diaphragm; a ver tieally-movable valve extending axially of said diaphragm, actuated by the flow of gas to vary the area of the gas-passage between its border and the inner wall of said diaphragm. 2. A gas-governing device consisting of a tapered case located in the outlet-pipe of a meter, the inlet end of said case being open and fitting tightly said outlet, said case having a closed upper end provided with one or more openings; a rotatable member on said case having perforations therein adapted to register with the openings in the upper end of the case; a tapered diaphragm in the case near the inlet end thereof having a central aperture therein, a vertically-movable tapered valve iittin closely over the upper end of said tapered diaphragm and adapted to be lifted by the flow of gas, together with a Weight located axially of said diaphragm and suspended from the vertically-movable valve.

3. A gas-governing device consisting of a tapered case located in the outlet-pipe of a meter, the inlet end of said case being open and fitting tightly said out1et-pipe, the upper end of saidease being closed and provided With one or more openings; a rotatable memher on said case having perforations therein adapted to register with the openings in the upper end of the case, a tapered diaphragm in the case near the upper end thereof, having one or more apertures therein; a vertically-movable valve suspended Within said diaphragm and actuated by the flow of gas to vary the area of the passage between its borders and the walls of said diaphragm; a second tapered diaphragm located near the lower end of the ease and having an aperture in the upper end thereof; a vertically-movable tapered valve fitting closely over the upper end of said second diaphragm and adapted to be lifted by the flow of gas, together with a Weight located axially of said diaphragm and suspended from the last-named valve.

LUGIUS J. RICHARDS.

\Vitnesses:

H. A. CHAPIN, K. I. CLEMoNs. 

